New Footage of Aspen Jet Crash Released

Infrared footage released after an Open Records Act request shows the Canadair Challenger bouncing on the runway before coming back down and bursting into flames, killing a co-pilot and injuring 2 others aboard the aircraft

The Aspen-Pitkin County Airport released new footage of a jet crash that killed a co-pilot and injured two others earlier this month.

The infrared footage shows the aircraft — a Canadair Challenger — touching down hard, bouncing off the runway, then coming back down nose-first before bursting into flames.

“I saw a jet that didn’t look right,” airport employee Kirk Schoenthaler told the Aspen Times following the Jan. 5 crash. “It was in a nose-high attitude close to the ground, then it went nose-down and quickly dropped towards the runway. As soon as I saw that, I knew I needed to start responding and headed towards my truck. I didn’t wait for anything else.”

The airport footage was made public following a Colorado Open Records Act request from Aspen Journalism.